Jewelry Design Challenge: 30-Minute Necklaces
Editor: Marthe Le Van
Deadline: August 3, 2009

Lark Books is looking for designers who are up for the challenge: design a necklace or pendant that can be made…start to finish…in 30 minutes flat.  30-Minute Necklaces will not be teaching fundamental techniques, so you can assume that your readers are already proficient (and quick!) at the basics.

30-Minute Necklaces will showcase more than 50 incredibly stylish step-by-step projects that can be created without investing too much of a valuable commodity—time! The selected designs will be modern and sophisticated and encompass many different styles and techniques. The common denominator will be fast projects that look terrific!

More information and entry forms

Beadwork Magazine has a new challenge out for beaders, who always seem to be looking for the next big thing to make!  Create with Patterns grew from an internal challenge among the magazine’s designers to include any of us who’d like to play.  The deadline for entries is August 3, 2009.

To enter, simply pick a pattern (be it from nature, your favorite shirt, or as we did, a piece of scrapbooking paper), make a project inspired by it, and e-mail us a JPEG (about 1MB) that includes your creation and pattern swatch to beadwork @ interweave.com (remove the spaces) by August 3, 2009. The first entry received, the editors’ choice, the most off-the-wall design, and the project that contains the most seed beads will all be featured on Beading Daily in late August. Editors’ choice will also be featured in an upcoming issue of Beadwork.

View the complete rules here.

Jewelry Artist Magazine announces the upcoming contest for lapidary artists, The 2010 Gemmys.  Both traditional and original methods of cutting are welcome, but the submissions must be actual cut stones, not simply renderings.

Information and submission forms

Deadline: August 1, 2009

Here are the categories:

Faceted Gems
Stones must be flat faceted; concave or convex faceted stones should be entered in the Specially Cut division.

Cabochon Gems
Stones must be any natural gem material cut in a cabochon shape, and must be suitable for jewelry use.

Specially Cut Gems
Stones include those that have been carved; cut with regular, curved “facets”; engraved; fitted together into a composite; or cut using any other lapidary technique other than flat faceting or cabbing; or any combination of lapidary techniques.

Gem Objects
Items that are either nonfunctional or whose function is other than use in jewelry including, but not limited to, faceted stones not suitable for jewelry use.

Artists on the Horizon
Any type of cut or gemstone, cut by an artist who has never won a national/international gem competition.

The Use the Muse contest was created by Scarlett Lanson who has a regular column in Beadwork magazine and has won some prestigious contests herself.  Scarlett’s goal was to create a competition for all types of beaders; stringers, bead weavers, and embroiderers, that had a shortened timeline and a big payoff. There are some very nice prizes including prizes for first through third place and ten category prizes, provided by Rainbows of Light and ArtBeads.com.

ArtBeads.com

The cost for the entry kit is $30 plus $5 for shipping in the US and $10 for international entrants.

One important thing to note is that there are a limited number of kits available and they will likely be gone before the order deadline of June 27. So, if this sounds like something you would like to do or blog about please keep this in mind. Plus, the sooner you sign up, the more time you will have to work on your design before the July 18th entry deadline.

To learn more and check out what happened in the first Use the Muse II contest, visit Scarlett’s blog.

Ancient Modern Polymer Clay Design Challenge
Deadline: June 5, 2009

To celebrate the publication of the new book Ancient Modern by Ronna Sarvas Weltman, Beading Daily is hosting a design challenge.  To enter, design one original polymer clay bead (any size, shape, or color) using any technique and send BD a photo.

You must be a member of BD to enter the contest, but it’s free to sign up, so what are you waiting for? 

More information and submission forms

Image: Interweave

Halstead Business Development Grant
Deadline: 06/17/09
Grant application and information

Halstead Bead, Inc. is calling for entries to its fourth annual Business Development Grant competition for new American jewelry designers entering the bridge jewelry trade. The grant will be awarded to a winning candidate in August. The winner of the 2009 Grant will receive $6,000 in cash and merchandise as well as other benefits. All finalists will be eligible for a mentorship program that matches new designers with established and successful jewelry entrepreneurs.

The Halstead Bead Business Development Grant differs from other jewelry industry competitions and awards because of its emphasis on business skills. Entrants must demonstrate not only extraordinary design, but also a strong business strategy. The application experience promotes the business planning required to make a jewelry brand commercially viable at the national level in today’s competitive market.

Designers utilizing a wide variety of fabrication techniques including casting, lampworking, precious metal clay, beading, or metalsmithing are eligible to enter the competition. Candidates must be US citizens who began their businesses after January 1, 2006. Their design companies must focus on “bridge” jewelry which is the segment between costume jewelry and fine jewelry that includes accessories in sterling silver, semi-precious stones, crystal, freshwater pearls and other similar materials.

Anodize!
Author: Clare Stiles
Editor: Marthe Le Van
Entry deadline: May 25, 2009

We’re looking for outstanding images of your anodized aluminum jewelry. Anodize!, due for release in August 2010, will educate readers of all skill levels about how to design jewelry using a creative process that includes dying, printing, and coloring the anodized material. The very best examples of designers using the material will run in an extensive gallery throughout the book. That’s where you come in! Selected artists will receive full acknowledgment within the book, a complimentary copy, and a discount on the purchase of additional books. Submission is free.

Download an entry form here

I’m excited about this contest!  SoftFlex and SoftTouch (the premium brand) are the only beading wires I use anymore.

FIND OUT MORE HERE!

SoftFlex wants to know: What’s your perfect color?

Show us in the form of an awesome jewelry design! Soft Flex® Company is looking for colorful designs that showcase your creativity.  Design entries must include all three Soft Flex® Wire colors from one of our ten Trios. There is no limit to the number of designs that you may enter. We encourage you to feature beads and findings from your local bead shop.

Information and submission details
Deadline: September 1, 2009

Are you crazy for PMC?  Then think about submitting some of your work to the PMC Guild Annual.  You must be a Guild member to participate, but if you’re really crazy for PMC, you ought to be a member anyway!  The link above will take you to the prospectus.  Details, timetable, and photo guidelines appear on the prospectus and will probably answer all your questions, but if not, send an email to Director @ PMCguild.com (remove the spaces).

Deadline: May 16, 2009

The PMC Guild invites all members to submit work for the third edition of the Guild Annual, a pictorial collection of the finest work being made in PMC around the world. Artists are invited to submit images of their work for consideration in this impotant, archival publication. Each year, more than 4,000 copies are sent out to Guild members, with additional copies sold through bookstores and supply companies.

This is the fourth Miyuki contest, sponsored by Caravan Beads! The deadline is June 1, 2009. Contest #4 summary:

Combine any Miyuki beads with the large (and still growing) world of C-Lon® threads and beading cords. You may weave, stitch, string, crochet, macrame or combine multiple techniques to create your entry.

• The beads used in your entry must be made by Miyuki and the thread or cord must be C-Lon. Your piece can be made of mostly beads, a fiber piece that includes beads as accents or decoration, or anything in between. Entry suggestions include tapestry, jewelry, sculpture, or any other beaded creation. If you have questions about whether your idea is acceptable, send us an email and we’ll be happy to discuss it.

• There are no size restrictions; entries large and small are acceptable.

• Email us at least two clear digital photos of your creation—one closeup and one showing the entire piece. You may send up to five photos if you think it will help us understand your entry. (See note “a” below for some tips on taking good photos). The initial judging will be done from the images, so the clearer they are, the better your chances of winning.

• If winners can be chosen from the photos, we will do so. If not, we may request that the finalists ship their pieces to us for the final judging.

All the rest of the rules can be found at the Caravan Beads Wesite!